The Keene Pumpkin Festival started in 1992 when a bunch of people got together to see if they could break the world record for the most lit jack-o-lanterns in one place. They achieved the record with 1,628 pumpkins, and since then have set 6 more world records. Other cities have gotten into the mix (Boston and Highwood, IL) and the title has gone back and forth in recent years. Since it was so nice on Saturday, we decided to drive down to Keene to check it out.
Aiden carved a small pumpkin to add to the Festival's total, which we placed on a street corner next to some of his brethren. It was a crazy madhouse in downtown Keene by the time they started lighting up the pumpkins at 6:30! Seemed like there were a million people there, jostling and squeezing past each other to see the giant tower of pumpkins (there were also bleachers full of pumpkins lining the streets) or find something to eat at the food tents. We grabbed some fat knockwursts and headed into a cobbled back alley to get out of the fray somewhat, where the kids could skip around a bit without us panicking that they had disappeared or been trampled. The pumpkins were definitely cool, but I'd have to say the festival was a bit too much for us with small kids- we left with some daylight still remaining to find our way back to the car. It turns out that Keene had it's best year ever with over 29,000 pumpkins (and I'd say at least that many people!) but they didn't set a world record- another city came in with over 30,000 pumpkins this year too!
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| pumpkin bowling |
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| Aiden's favorite |
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| Next to "their" pumpkin (the little one to the right of Haley) |
On Sunday we went on a local hike at Low Plain to enjoy some peace and quiet after the crazy pumpkin festival the day before. It was absolutely gorgeous in the woods there, with all the bright yellow beech leaves standing out in contrast to the dark green hemlocks, and the still beaver pond reflecting the fall foliage. Haley had about 6 meltdowns (wrong jacket, don't want to walk, don't want to go in backpack, do want to go in backpack, etc etc), Kimball ran away after every other dog we passed, and Aiden spilled boiling hot "mountain tea" on his leg in the bird blind (and on the dog), causing another brief meltdown- BUT it was still worth getting out there on a day like that. No doubt. In my memory I'll recall the kids bundled up, sipping sweet tea in the chilly blind, looking out at the bright blue sky reflected in the quiet beaver pond. Fall at its best.
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| view from the blind |
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| leaf identification quizzes |
We're back at UVAC swim lessons each weekend for Aiden, and he's been making more pillows too!
1 comment:
Seemed like quite the weekend! Your children are beautiful and it's nice to see parents taking their kids outside on walks and hikes and things, considering most just plop them in front of a television. Kudos!
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